Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

War Dogs

War Dogs is a 2016 American black comedy crime film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Phillips, Jason Smilovic, and Stephen Chin.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

War Dogs is a 2016 American black comedy crime film directed by Todd Phillips, loosely based on the true story of two young arms dealers who secured a massive U.S. government weapons contract during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

What it is

The film dramatizes the rise of David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, who enter the arms trade and land a roughly $300 million contract to supply ammunition for the Afghan National Army. It follows their growing success and the problems that emerge as the deal expands.

Key details

Jonah Hill and Miles Teller play the two central characters, with Ana de Armas and Bradley Cooper in supporting roles. The film is based on Guy Lawson’s 2011 Rolling Stone article "Arms and the Dudes," later expanded into a book. It runs 114 minutes and was released in 2016.

Why it matters

War Dogs offers a satirical look at the arms trade and the chaos of government contracting during wartime. For Canadian viewers, it is available on major streaming platforms and stands as a notable entry in the true-story crime genre.

In short

  • Black comedy crime film from 2016 directed by Todd Phillips.
  • Loosely based on real arms dealers David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli.
  • Stars Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas, and Bradley Cooper.
  • Based on Guy Lawson's Rolling Stone article "Arms and the Dudes."
Canadian angle

War Dogs is relevant to Canadian viewers as an American true-story crime film distributed internationally and available on major streaming platforms in Canada and abroad.

Quick questions

What is War Dogs about?
It is about two young men who get involved in arms dealing and win a major U.S. government contract to supply weapons for Afghanistan.
Is War Dogs based on a true story?
Yes. It is loosely based on the real story of David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli.
Who directed War Dogs?
Todd Phillips directed the film.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Dogs_(2016_film)
    Supports: Basic film details, source material, cast, and plot premise
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2005151/
    Supports: True-story basis, cast, and plot synopsis
  3. RogerEbert.com — https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/war-dogs-2016
    Supports: Critical description of the film’s tone and premise
  4. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/war_dogs_2016
    Supports: Release date, runtime, genre, and synopsis
  5. The New York Times — https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/19/movies/war-dogs-review-jonah-hill-miles-teller.html
    Supports: Film premise and true-story context
  6. Apple TV — https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/war-dogs/umc.cmc.36rhtrycnyn2cbm8kx8zn2omw
    Supports: Synopsis, director, and cast
  7. Netflix — https://www.netflix.com/title/80080359
    Supports: Alternative synopsis and cast listing